When starting an email campaign, it can be difficult to know which tone to use - formal or informal. And since you haven't built long-term, solid relationships with subscribers yet, the tone you use may entice them to make a purchase or hit the opt-out button pretty fast. Over time (and by constantly testing email messages), you will learn more about subscribers and how they respond to your tone.
Formal Tone
Formal tone is more business-like and gets to the point quickly. If you're not careful, formal tone can become very boring, especially if you use it over and over again. Even though using formal tone may appeal to some segments of your list (business owners, management types, industry experts, etc.), other segments (every day consumers, younger consumers) may not appreciate it if it's used for each message.
When sending bulk emails using formal tone, breathe a little humanity into the message by:
- Using the recipient's first name
- Starting and ending with a warm greeting and salutation
- Thanking readers for taking the time to read your message
You should also be careful and avoid the following:
- 'Talking down' to subscribers (telling them what to do, making them feel bad about something, or just being plain obnoxious)
- Sounding like a parent or 'know-it-all'
- Getting off topic and providing useless information for the sake of remaining formal
- Forgetting to include a 'call to action' at the end of the message
Consider using formal tone when sending very important information about goods and services or information about changes or updates to your business.
Informal Tone
Informal tone is more conversational and allows you to become a friend in addition to begin a provider and seller of goods and services. But this doesn't mean you can forget the rules of grammar or write in a style that offends large numbers of people. Informal tone is simply a relaxed way to convey information.
When writing in an informal tone, your goal is to still provide great information in a casual way. But try to avoid:
- Condescending, snarky or rude language
- Slang language only certain segments would understand (unless writing to segments that would understand)
- Too much humor (a little goes a long way - include one funny story instead of ten)
- Saying things that just aren't true about your goods and services
Final Words about Tone
Whichever tone you decide to use, try to be consistent throughout the message. No email campaign is perfect, but when you're trying to connect with subscribers, it's best to meet them halfway by sending information they can easily understand and use. While your goal is to generate email sales, keep in mind that even though content sells, how you present that content is also important.